Jack Brooks

Jack Brooks once stated that “Every disaster is an opportunity,” and he was absolutely correct. Brooks’ statement especially holds true to politicians. Politicians are in a constant struggle to gain the support of the citizens, and to be successful they need take advantage of every presented opportunity to get seen and heard by the public. Disasters stimulate fear and excitement in the public, therefore the public pays a lot of attention to them (Popkin, 25). In turn politicians are attentive to disasters, because of their ability to benefit some politicians and/or harm others, as accredited by Steven Merksamer when he said; “My biggest fear always was of not being prepared for a major disaster […] How they are handled can make or break
elected officials…”(Popkin, 25). Politicians are especially aware that the best time to be seen and heard is during disasters. Whether national, international, or personal, disasters are opportunities for politicians because of the way the public view and react to them, and because politicians’ responses to disasters create opportunity.

National disasters serve as an opportunity for political leaders to gain support and thrust from the public.
During national disasters the public tends to rally-‘round-the-flag and their leaders (Glen), this was especially evident in the aftermath of the disastrous September, 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. After 9/11 the nation was distraught and the public was in need of some sought of reassurance. President Bush took that opportunity become the publics reassurance by using statements such as: “any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime,” and “Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists” (Kam and Kinder, 325). These statements appealed to many Americans sense of ethnocentrism, and consequently the President was able to shift policies and shift around priorities and policies, and take action with the majority of the publics’ approval (Kam and Kinder, 325). Not only did the disaster increase in President Bush, it also made President Bush the most liked President than any of his immediate predecessor at that point in Presidency (Kam and Kinder, 326). In subsequent of 9/11 it is evident that a horrible disaster became a great opportunity for a President to gain the liking and support of the people, through the fear and ethnocentrism of the citizens. This type of disaster turned opportunity for a leader is not unique to 9/11. Following the Pearl Harbor and the time hostages were seized in
Iran, Presidents Roosevelt’s and Carter’s approval ratings immediately rose (Glenn).

What are disasters for some politicians become opportunities for others.
Disasters become opportunities for some politicians as a result of the perceived mishandling of the said disasters by other politicians. This is evident from the result of the 1980 Presidential election. Prior to the 1980 election, fifty-five Americans were held hostage in the American Embassy in Teheran, Iran; the rescue attempt was aborted due to defective helicopters, but the effects was a perceive failure by President Carter administration (Popkin, 4-5). During the campaign voters thought more about the embarrassment of the hostage situation, and less about their worries about Ronald Reagan. This opened up the opportunity for Reagan to pull away from a close race and trounce Carter (Popkin,
4-5).

Personal mistakes become political disasters that the public turn into opportunities for other politicians, as implied by President Gerald Ford’s answer “Always shuck your tamales,” when he was asked to name the most important lesson he had learned from his campaign, in which he lost too Jimmy Carter (Popkin, 1). In this case an opportunity aroused from President Ford’s personally disaster and was given to Reagan and Carter.
When disasters transpire people are watching, therefore when a politician makes a move for our attention during disasters we are more likely to be attentive to them; this attentiveness can lead to an opportunity for the politician. This is why during national catastrophes such has 9/11 opportunities arise for leaders, and as shown by the hostage rescue failure during President Carter’s presidency, disasters are opportunities for politicians because of the apparent failure of another politician; this could relate to what happened in the 2006 midterm elections. The international disaster in Iraq is perceived as the current administrations disaster, so the opportunity arose for the Democratic Party to take majority control of both houses of congress. In short, the public awareness during disasters turns into an opportunity for politicians to influence the people tune in to it.